1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a dielectric barrier discharge lamp wherein utilization is made of an ultraviolet ray light source which utilizes optical reactions, and by which excimer molecules are created by the dielectric barrier discharge, utilization being made of the radiation emanating from the excimer molecules, e.g. for sterilization, curing of lacquers, etc., see U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,484 for other utilities.
2. Description of the Related Art
This invention is related to the technology revealed, for example, in Japanese unexamined patent publications 2-7353 wherein a discharge gas which forms excimer molecules is used to fill a discharge tube or container. Excimer molecules are formed by the dielectric barrier discharge (comprised of either an ozonizer discharge or a silent discharge, see ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION REVISED PUBLICATION "DISCHARGE HANDBOOK" VOL. 7 PUBLISHED IN JUNE OF 1989, REFERENCE PAGE 263). The light radiating from the excimer molecules is emitted from the discharge container, i.e. reference is made to a dielectric barrier discharge lamp. In addition, in Japanese unexamined patent 2-7353, reference is made to a discharge container (for example a fluorescent lamp) in which the ultraviolet rays within a dielectric barrier discharge lamp container are transformed into a visible light wave length by luminescence (such as through use of fluorescent bodies or powders). As indicated above, the dielectric barrier discharge lamp possesses a number of particular characteristics which do not exist in low pressure mercury discharge lamps or high pressure arc discharge lamps which are known under the prior art. However, such dielectric barrier discharge lamps have the deficiency that the light output of the lamp is reduced over the period of light usage. In other words, the life span is totally inadequate, and the discharge itself is unstable.